Anger at plan for heroin centre near primary school

The centre at Merchant’s Quay Ireland is being modelled on similar facilities in VancouverANDY CLARK/REUTERS

A primary school near a planned heroin injection centre has accused the HSE of failing to consider children’s safety and is considering legal action.

St Audoen’s National School in Dublin, a primary school with more than 200 pupils, said it had not been consulted about a safe injection centre at Merchant’s Quay Ireland, an existing drug treatment facility 300 metres away.

The HSE announced last Friday that Merchant’s Quay had been awarded the tender for an 18-month pilot.

Eilish Meagher, principal of St Audoen’s, said that she had already expressed concerns about the existing needle exchange programme at the centre, claiming there was drug dealing, aggressive behaviour and incidents of assault on a daily basis. Ms Meagher said: “There is no mention of regulation and/or…

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